Clay products processing machine



NOV. 14, 1933. E M HOQVER 1,935,319

CLAY PRODUCTS FROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22 1931 3 sheets-sheet 1 abkowufl/ Nov. 14, 1933. E. M. HOOVER CLAY PRODUCTS PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f IJII- 4 l gyn/manto@ @wfy/Y 6601/55;

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NOV. 14, 1933. E. M, HOOVER 1,935,319

CLAY PRODUCTS PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwwznto'o I Patented Nov. 14, 1933 Application January 22, 1931. Serial No.`51),315`

131 Claims. (Cl. 25-142) VMy invention relates to clay-products processing apparatus for drying, and/or pre-heating,

and burning or baking clay Y products such as bricks and ceramic products.

While I am describing my invention asa brick processing machine, it may be usedfor processing otherclay products, as forvinstance, tile and the" like. Y

. It is the object of my invention to provide apparatus in which clay products will be dried, and/ or pre-heated, and burned; and through which such products will travel automatically and continuously.A It is the furtherV object of my invention to utilizeA heat from the burning-kiln to dry and/or pre-heat the products before they enterV such burning-kiln. v I

YInraccomplishing the objects of my invention I utilizeheat from the burning-kiln bymaking such rkiln ,inv the form of an inclined*` tunnel through which products being burned are carried from the upper to the lower end on a heat-resisting conveyor, and associating with theA upper or feed endV of that tunnel a drying and/or preheating kiln having an inclinedpassage communicating at its lower end with the upper end of the burningkiln to receive exhaust heat and gases therefrom. The drying and/or pre-heating kiln isfin a somewhat triangular form, the in'- clined passageforming one side thereof, the base ofthe triangle beingthe'base of such kiln, and

the other side being a passage similar to that :forming the rst mentioned side but being dis-` posed .vertically-although it need notbe disposed vertically but may be inclined, or otherwise arranged. A conveyor'travels through such two passages carrying bricks therethrough; and has associated with it at the end which communicates with the burning-kiln, means for transferring the bricks to the vheat resistingconveyor of the burning-kiln. Y I

,e VI secure an additional utilization of heat from the burning'kiln by associating therewith some heat exchange device, which conveys heat to the two passages of the pre-heating kiln,vas for instance by means of steam.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my" invention: Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation with parts broken away to show the arrangement of conveyors` andother details; Fig. 2 is a vertical partial section showing details of one form. of burning-kilnwallstructure; Fig. 3 is a section onY the 1inev3k-3 of Fig. 4 showing the transfer mechanism betweentheftwo conveyors; andy Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4,-4 of Fig. 3.

For the pre-heating or drying kiln two tunnels or passages are provided by; a suitable housing.` One passage or riser may be substantially vertical. The other passage or tunnel 11 is inclined,A

and communicates-at its upper end with the upperend of the riserr 10. The lower end of such tunnel 11r is adjacent and colnmunicatesnwith the upper end of an inclined burning-tunne1 v12 which forms thefburning kiln'. At the upper endv of the pre-heating tunnel l1 I provide a stackV 13 for conveying away exhaust gases. The lower end of the riser `10 has an -opening 18 for the introduction ofV material to be processed.

.The burning-tunnel l2 desirably comprises-sida walls .14, a top wall 15, anda bottom wall 16 which are conveniently provided with a lining 17 of heat-resisting material, but they maybe made entirely o1" heat-resisting material. The wallsV oi the pre-heating passages, the riser 10 and tunnel 11,'not being subjected to, such high temperatures, are not shown as being made of heat-resisting materiaLalthough they may be so made.

Heat is conveniently supplied to the'burningkiln by a gro'upcf oil or gas burners 20 extending through the-side walls 14 of the burning kiln 12,

butsuch heat-supply may be augmented or replaced by a furnace 2l below such lburning-tunnel. If such furnace 21 is used, the bottom wall 16j of the burningetunnel may-be dispensed with.

The pre-heatingtunnel 11, because of its communication with theburning-tunnel 12 receives exhaust gases and'heat therefrom and is heated by such heat. heating tunnel 11, the exhaust gases pass out the stack 13. In order to control the passage of gases throughthe,I stack 13', an adjustable damper 22 may be `provided therein'. l Y,

The heating of the pre-heating tunnel 11 is supy After passing through the Aprel ple'mented, and the riseri is supplied with heat v by a heatexchange device associated therewith and Awith the burning-kiln l2 from which it ab-l sorbs heat. This heat exchange device may conveniently comprise a system of pipes 23 associated with the top wall l of the burning-tunnel 12; and pipes 24. and 25 associated `with the .riser 10 and the pre-heating tunnel 11 respectively. The pipes 24 and 25 communicate' with the pipes 23 through a connecting pipe, and also with a condenser 2'7. The condenser 27 communicates also with the: pipes 2 3 in lthe burning-kiln.

Circulation through this system is conveniently provided by convection, but apumpv might be used to accelerate such. circulation. If water is the medium used inA such heat. exchange system, such water flows from the conf denser 27 to the pipes 23 in the burning-kiln where it is changed to steam. Thence the steam flows to the pipes 24 in the riser 10 and to the pipe 25 in the pre-heating tunnel 11 where it gives up much of its heat to such riser and tunnel'. From the tunnel the steam returns to the condenser and is changed to Water and fed back over v the same course.

For conveying material through the riser 10 and pre-heating tunnel 11 I employ a chain-supported basket-type continuous conveyor. Two chains 31 from which baskets 32 for carrying the clay-products are suspended are conveniently carried by three pairs of sprockets 33, one pair at the lower end of the riser 10, another at the juno-- tuer of the riser 10 and the pre-heating tunnel 11, and the third at the lower end of such preheating tunnel 11. The sprockets of each pair are spaced axially from each other, and are both integral with or non-rotatably secured on a shaft 34 journaled in standards 35 associated with the side walls of the pre-heater.A

The chains 31 are also desirably guided through the pre-heating tunnelll by flanges 36 and 37 projecting inwardly from the walls of such tunnel above and below the chains.

The baskets32 conveniently comprise a bottom in the form of a flat plate 40 on which the conveyed material will rest; and two end members 41 integral therewith, and provided with outwardly projecting stub shafts 42 by which the baskets are supported, and which also serve as link-pins for the links of the chain 31 through which they extend. The end-members 41 of the basket are considerably shorter than the radius of a sprocket 35 1 33v in order that the baskets may not strikethe shaft 34 of such sprocket during their travel past such sprocket.

To provide a drive for the conveyor, the shaft 34 of the pair of sprockets at the lower end of the 4.0

pre-heating tunnel may extend outwardly beyond one of its associated standards 35 and have secured to it ,a drive-sprocket 38. Any convenient source of power may be used; but desirably, and as I have shown it, the source of power is an electric motor 39 operatively connected to the drivesprocket by means of a drive chain 39.

While I have shown the riser as vertical and as havinga single length of chain therethrough; the riser need not necessarily be vvertical but can be inclined, and the chain may go through such riser more than once to provide a longer drying period. Y Y Y vFor conveying material through the'burning tunnel 12 I employ a continuous conveyor 43 of the chain type, made at least partly of material resistant to the intense heat-4,000o to 2,000'C-.-in the burning tunnel. This 'continuous conveyor 43 may be of a chain-belt type,

a plurality of links wide, having its several links adjacent each other and extending alternately between two of three link-pins 44 to form an almostv continuous surface.

' The conveyor 43 is desirably provided with rollers `45 loosely mounted on the ends of the link-pins 44 and such rollers may be spaced from the edge links as is shown in Fig. 2.

For-mounting the conveyor 42 and guiding it through the burning-tunnel 12, I employ sprockets 4 6 over which the conveyor runs, and guide grooves or trackways 47 in the walls 14 of the tunnel l2 for receiving the rollers 45. The sprockets 45 are in pairs, one pair at each end of the burning kiln; and the sprockets of each pair are desirably iixedly mounted on a shaft 48 journaled Yiii-brackets 49 on the ends of the kiln 12, and

Lessen) 'the opening of each groove from either side thereof to partially close .that opening andrthus protect the rollers from the heat of the kiln, while leaving open a slit wide enough to permit the passage therethrough of the portions of the link'pins 44 between the rollers 45 and the edge links of that type conveyor which has its rollers 45 spaced from its edge-links. *l

For driving the conveyor 43 the shaft 43atthe lower end'of the burning-tunnel 12 may be pro-- vided with a drive-sprocket 50 suitably driven as by means of an electric motor51 and adrive chain 52.

Inorderto transfer the material being' processed-the bricks as I ani describing my device--v from the baskets 3.2 of the conveyor in the preheating kiln to the conveyor 43 through the burning-tunnel 12, I employ means for tilting l the baskets 32 when they reach the lower end of the pre-heating tunnel l1, and a slide down whichk the bricks may slide on to the conveyor 42.

To 'this-end, VI secured two plates'l'to the endwall of the pre-heating tunnel 11 in position to project toward the shaft 34- atthe lower end of such tunnel, 'and to have their free edges 62 lying between the two sprockets 33 on such shaft and in the normal path of the baskets 32, where they will be struck bythe ends of the'front edges i of the basketplate 40 just within the end members 41'. The slide 60 may extend between the two plates 61 and be integral therewith to provide a brace betweenA such twoplates As I have shown it, the'sproc'kets V46 for: the burning-tunnel conveyor 43 are but slightly spaced from the sprockets 33l ofthe pre-heating conveyor; and I provide guide bars 63 havingedges continuous with the free'edges 62 lof the plates 61 to carry the baskets 32 past the sprockets mand-prevent such baskets from becoming fouled with the conveyor 43 on those sprockets.

' For receiving the finished burned bricks from the lower or discharge end'of'the burning-tunnel conveyor 43, a suitable slide 65 may be associated with `such discharge end. Y Y

When my apparatus-is to `be used, the burners 20 in the burning-tunnel are lighted to heat that tunnel'and the pre-heating tunnel 11, part of the heat in such burning-tunnel being transferred by the pipes 23 to the pipes'24 and -25 in the riser 10 and pre-heating tunnel 11. i

When the whole device has been yheated to a sufcient extent, bricks or other clay products are introduced throughthe opening 18 in the riser onto the flat plates 40 yof the conveyor through such riser. During the travel of these-clay products on the conveyorthrough the riser 10, they may be dried and/or at least somewhat preheated.` The conveyorY then carries theminto and through the pre-heating tunnel 1l where they may be further dried and are pre-heated to a much greater extent.

As each individual basket 32 reaches the lower endof the pre-heating tunnel 11,` the forward.y

` tunnel conveyor.

edgeY of the flat bottom plate Lif) of such basket strikes the freeedges 62 of the plates 6l; and as theconveyor chains 31 move 'on around the sprockets 33 thev baskets are tilted until their bottomplates-40 stand at such steep angle that the bricks slide ofi. Fromthe tilted baskets, the

bricks. fall on .to the slide and are carried by such slide on to the surface of the conveyor 43.

v When they reach this point, the bricks are highly pre-heated, and are in condition for burning. As the'conveyor 43 carries them on throughV the bricks may be given a preliminary drying in some Well known manner; but I contemplate using my invention to perform all necessary operations on the bricks frorn the time they are formed until the time they are completely rinished.

Further, by utilizing waste-heat from the burning-kiln for drying and/ or pre-heating, I secure a material saving of heat.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a burning-tunnel for the burning of clay-products, a pre-heating tunnel inclined upward away from said burning tunnel and adapted to receive exhaust heatand gases therefrom, a conveyor for moving clay-products through said pre-heating tunnel and having its carrying stretch substantially above the exhaust opening of said burning tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and means for transferring said clay-products from said preheating tunnel conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor.

2. In combination,y a burning-tunnel for the burning of clay-products, apre-heating tunnel adapted to receive exhaust heat and gases therefrom, a moving-basketconveyor for moving clayproducts through said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and means for causing said baskets to tilt to discharge' said clay-products on to said burning-tunnel conveyor.

3. In combination, a burning-tunnel for the burning of clay-products, a pre-heating tunnel adapted to receive exhaust heat and gases therefrom, a moving-basket conveyor for moving clayproducts through said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and an obstruction in the normal path of bottoms of said basketsfor causing said baskets to tilt to discharge said clay-products on to said burningbasket conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor.

5. A clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined tunnel for preheating, and a burning-tunnel for burning clayproducts; a moving-basket conveyor extending through said riser and said pre-heating tunnel,

means for transferring such products from said basket conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor,

said pre-heating tunnel being arranged to receive exhaust heat and gases from said lburning-tunnel.

6. A clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined-tunnel for preheating, and a burning-tunnel for burning-clayproducts; ka moving-basket conveyor extending through said riser and said pre-heating tunnel,

a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and.

aA conveyor through said burning tunnel, means for transferring such products from said basket conveyon to said burning-tunnel conveyor, and heat-exchange means for delivering heat from said burning-tunnel to said riser and said preheating tunnel.

' 7. A clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined tunnel for preheating, and a burning-tunnel for burning clayproducts; a moving-basket conveyor extending through said riser and said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, means for transferring such products from said basket :conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor, and -i heat-exchange means for delivering heat from said burning-tunnel to said riser, said pre-heatingv tunnel being arranged to receive exhaust heat and gases from said burning-tunnel.

8. A. clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined tunnel for pre-heating, and a burning-tunnel lfor burning clay-products; .a conveyor extending through said riser and said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and means for transferring such products from said first-named conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor.

9. A clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined tunnel for. preheating, and a burning-tunnel for burning clayproducts; a conveyor extending through-said riser and said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, means for transferring such products from said first-named conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor, land heat-exchange means for delivering heat from said burningtunnel to said riser and said pre-heating tunnel.

1). A clay products-processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an inclined tunnel for preheating, and a burning-tunnel for burning clayproducts; a conveyor extending through said riser and said pre-heating tunnel, a conveyor through said burning tunnel, and means for transferring such products from said Erst-named conveyor to said burning-tunnel conveyor, said pre-heating j tunnel being arranged to receive exhaust heatand gases from said burning-tunnel.'

1l. A clay products processing device, comprising a riser for drying, an'inclined tunnel for preheating, and a burning tunnel for burning clay products, the preheating tunnel being in communication at its upper end with the riser and at its lower end with the burning tunnel to receive exhaust heat therefrom, and means forl conveying material to be processed successively through the riser and the preheating and burning tunnels.

l2. A clay products processing device, comprising aninclined tunnel for preheating, and a burning tunnel for burning clay products, the lower end of the preheating tunnel being in communication `vvith the upper end of the burning tunnel and disposed substantially higher thanthe means providing-communication, whereby it receives exhaust heat therefrom, and means for 5 preheating, and a burning tunnel for burning clay products, the preheating tunnel being in cornmunication at its upper end with the riser and at its lower Vend with the burning tunnel to receive exhaust heat therefrom, heat exchange means.

arranged to absorb heat from the burning tunnel and deliver it to the riser, and means for conveying material to be processed successively Y through the riser and the preheating and burning' tunnels. Y

EDWARD `M. HOOVER. f 

